Controlling mechanism



Oct. 6, 1936. s. LJGOOKIN CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 10, 1934 Patented Get. 6, 1936 UN-ETE stares CONTROLLING MECHANISM Sylvester L. Gookin, Quincy, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application September 10, 1934, Serial No. 743,374

12 Claims. (Cl. 218-15) This invention relates to automatic machines controlled by starting-and-stopping mechanisms and organized to perform an operation or a series of operations on a work-piece. Considered in its broadest aspect the invention is not primarily concerned with the character of the operations to be performed but is more especially concerned with the problem of automatically modifying the effect of some power-operated mechanism in certain circumstances without doing so in others. The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a high-speed automatic fastener-inserting machine of 'the type more fully illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,228,768, granted June 5, 1917, on application of P. R. Glass, but it will become evident that the utility of the invention is not limited to fastener-inserting machines. Nevertheless, to explain the principles and one use of the present invention the latter is herein described in terms applicable to fastener-inserting machines of the type disclosed in said Letters Patent.

A machine of the type under consideration is designed to insert a fastener or a series'of fasteners, such as eyelets, one in each cycle, in a Work-piece such as a shoe-upper, the number of such fasteners in each series being usually five or six according to the style of the particular shoe or the dictates of the shoe-designer, although the number may be varied at will. The machine comprises automatic fastener-inserting mechanism, automatic mechanism for feeding the work to space successive eyelets one from another, automatic mechanism for operating a presser-foot by which the work-piece is alternately clamped against a work-supporting table and released, and starting-and-stopping mechanism controllable manually, as by a treadle, to set the machine in operation and to stop it when it has inserted the desired number of fasteners.

The starting-and-stopping mechanism in a machine of this type is designed to stop the machine always at a certain point in its cycle when the fastener-engaging tools are retracted and the usual power-operated presser-foot-operating mechanism is in a position to maintain the presser-foot against the work-supporting table or against a work-piece lying thereon. Consequently, to insert and remove a work-piece it has heretofore been necessary to retract the presserfoot manually While the machine is stopped.

In view of the conditions explained above an object of the present invention is to provide improved means for otherwise accomplishing that purpose, or it might be to modify some other condition in similar circumstances, without any special or additional demand upon an operators time or effort.

As herein illustrated the invention is embodied in a machine of the type in which a starting-and-stopping' mechanism controls a power-operated mechanism for moving a member to and fro. A feature of the invention, considered broadly, consists in supplemental means arranged to be operated by a controlling movement of the starting-and-stopping mechanism tomodify one of the motions imparted to the member by the power-operated mechanism;

As applied to the specific problem above set forth, the modifying effect of the supplemental means is to interrupt the final operation of the presser-foot by the power-operated mechanism and to maintain the presser-foot in a retracted position until the next subsequent starting movement.

In thus utilizing the stopping movement of the starting-and-stopping mechanism the invention avoids encumb'ering the organization with additional means for imparting a'special or additional retractorymovement to the presser-foot in the last cycle before stoppage of the machine.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation, partly in section of a fastener-inserting machine provided with an improved combination of mechanisms embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective'view including a novel train of mechanism for modifying the operation of a presser-foot in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the novelmechanism pictured in Fig. 2; and I Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of starting-and-stopping mechanism by which the machine is operated.

V ,A presser-f'oot ll! of well-known construction in'machines of this type is arranged to cooperate with a work-supporting table H affixed to the frame l2 of the machine. The shank of the presser-foot is provided with a split clamping portion l3 by which it is rigidly secured to a vertically movable plunger M' arranged toslide in 'a guiding boss l5 and in a rib l6 both formed on the frame. The plunger 14 and the presser-foot H) are normally depressed by a compression spring I! that exerts its force downwardly against a collar l8 affixed to the plunger. Turning movement of the plunger I4 is prevented by a parallel pin I9 arranged to slide in a bearing bored in the rib l6, the upper end of this pin being rigidly connected with the plunger by a connecting member 20.

The usual power-operated mechanism for lifting the presser-foot periodically comprises an oscillatory cam 2|, a link 22 pivotally connected thereto, an operating lever 23, a cam 24, and a power-driven cam-shaft 25 mounted in bearings in the frame l2 and provided with other cams (not shown) for imparting operating motionsto other trains of mechanism. The lever 23 is mounted on a fulcrum-pin or stud 26 and is provided with an upper arm 21 by which operating motion is imparted to a train of mechanism for operating the combined punching, feeding and eyeletclenching tool 28. The lower portion of the operating lever 23 is in the form of a yoke or fork, the cheeks of which straddle the cam 24 and insure positive oscillation of the lever in opposite directions. The cam 2| for lifting the presserfoot plunger I4 is mounted on a stationary fulcrum-stud 23. The operating surface of the cam 2| cooperates with a roll 36 (Fig. 2)- carried by the collar l8. s

\ The tool 28 is aflixed to a vertically movable plunger 3| mounted to slide in bearings 53 in a laterally movable carriage 43. This tool is of well-known construction and includes a central pilot or projection 32 that cooperates with the work-supporting table II vor a hardened steel block embedded therein to punch a fastener-receiving hole in a work-piece. This punching element 32 is surrounded as usual by a suitably formed surface for upsetting and clenching the barrel of a fastener such as an eyelet.

The train of power-operated mechanism for operating the plunger 3| includes cooperative toggle members 33 and 34 of which there are two pairs, a link 35 for each pair connected thereto by a knee pivot 36, and a relatively long link 3'! connecting the links 35 with the arm 21 of the operating lever 23. A stud 38 screwed into the frame |2 extends through a slot 39 in the link 31 to guide the latter and to brace it against sidewise displacement, since the plunger 3|, the two pairs of toggle members 33 and 34 and the links 35 are carried laterally to-and-fro by the carriage 43, but the link 31 does not partake of these movements. Accordingly, the connection between the links 35 and the link 31 is provided by a long pivot-pin 4|] aflixed to the link 31, both ends of the pin projecting laterally therefrom a sufficient distance to enable the links 35 to slide to-and-fro along its length without becoming disengaged therefrom.

The toggle members 34 are pivotally connected to a collar 4| carried by the plunger 3| to communicate the operating movements of the toggle mechanism to the plunger. The toggle members 33 are mounted on a stationary rod 42 the ends of which are affixed in spaced portions of the frame l2 and the intermediate portion of which serves as a guide on which the horizontally movable work-feeding carriage 43 is arranged. A tubular member 44 affixed to the carriage 43 projects laterally in opposite directions from the carriage and its projecting portions are arranged to slide in bearings in the frame l2, one of such bearings being indicated at 45.

A train of power-operated mechanism for operating the feed-carriage 43 comprises an arm 46 mounted on but not affixed to a vertical fulcrumrod 41, an operating arm 48 likewise mounted on but not afiixed to the rod 41, a long sleeve or hub 49 connecting the arm 48 and an arm 50, a link 5| for communicating forward and backward motions to the arm 50 from a member 52, and other elements, not herein shown, for transmitting the desired motions to the member 52 from a cam on the cam-shaft 25. The arm 48 is formed with spaced cheeks arranged to straddle the arm 46 and has provision for regulating the angular relation of these two arms and for taking up all lost motion between them so that when they are set up for operation they function, to all intents and purposes, as a single arm. The forward end of the arm 46 is forked and straddles a pivoted block |4| mounted on the carriage 43.

This train of mechanism moves the plunger 3| laterally to feed the work while the plunger 3| is depressed and while the punching element 32 occupies the hole that it has just punched in the work. The mechanism' for operating the plunger 3| and the mechanism for operating the carriage 43 are timed to impart a four-way motion to the tool 28 in each cycle of the shaft 25: first, a downward stroke for punching a hole in the work; second, a sidewise stroke to feed the work; third, an up-stroke to retract the tool from the work; and fourth, a sidewise stroke to return the tool to its initial position.

The fasteners are inserted upwardly into the work by a tool (not shown) that cooperates with the tool 28. The lower tool, which may be of any suitable or well-known construction is mounted at the upper end of a vertically movable plunger 54 arranged to slide in fixed bearings 55 in the frame I2. This plunger also receives its'operating motion from the shaft 25 through connections including a lever 56. Fasteners, such as eyelets, are supplied to the fastener-inserting tool automatically by a raceway 51 and a hopper 58. A pulley 59, driven by a belt 6!), rotates a brush (not shown) by which the fasteners are fed from the hopper into the raceway.

All the mechanisms and details of construction above described are well-known and have been in commercial use for many years in machines of the type illustrated in the aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,228,768, and are described herein to provide a basis for the description to follow of a supplemental mechanism for modifying the operation of the presser-foot l0 under certain conditions, but, to furnish a complete background or setting for the purpose in view it will be necessary to describe in some detail a starting-andstopping mechanism from which the effective motion for modifying the operation of the presserfoot is derived.

The starting-and-stopping mechanism herein illustrated is of the same type as that shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,228,768 and otherwise shown in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,854,469, granted April 19, 1932 on application of P. R. Glass.

Referring to Fig. 4, a continuously driven pulley I60 is mounted on but not afiixed to a portion of the shaft 25 that projects from one of the bearings 6| provided by the frame l2. This pulley constitutes the driving member of a clutch, the driven member of the clutch being a sleeve or collar 62 keyed or otherwise affixed to the shaft. The driving member of the clutch carries a plurality of pins 63 arranged in a circular series, the heads of which are arranged adjacent to the sleeve 62. This sleeve is bored from end to end to provide a cylindrical socket in which a longitudinally movable bolt 64 is arranged to slide so that one end thereof may be shifted into and out of the path of rotation of the heads of the driving pins 63. A small compression spring 65 embedded in the sleeve 62exerts its force in a direction to maintain the bolt 64 normallyv in the path of the driving pins 63,-any one of which may engage the bolt 64' to impart rotation to the shaft. a

The means for retracting the bolt 64 out of the path of the pins 63 tointerrupt the driving connection comprises a segmental head 66 arranged in a space between the sleeve 62 and the bearing 6 I. This space is wider than the thickness of the head 66 to provide for shifting the latter to and. fro lengthwise of the shaft. The bolt 6'4 and the head 66 are rigidly related. The leading end of the head 66, consideringthe direction of rotation indicated by arrows in Figs. 1 and 4, is provided with a wedge-face 61. which, upon encountering a starting-and-stopping pin 68, operates with a camming effect to retract the bolt 64 out of the path of the driving pins 63. Moreover, the trailing end of the wedge-face 61 leads an abrupt shoulder 69 of the head 66 into abutting relation with the pin 68 to arrest rotation of the shaft 25 at a certain point in its cycle when the upper tool 28. elevated and the lower tool carriedby the plunger 54 is at or near the lower limit of its range of travel, as shown in-Fig. 1. These positions of the fastener-inserting tools are to be regarded as their initial positions, and it is also to be understood that at this point in the cycle the tool 28 is out of register. with the lower tool and requires a feeding stroke of the carriage 43 to move it into register therewith.

The starting-and-stopping pin 68 is arranged to slide vertically in bearings 10 afforded by the frame l2 and is normally raised toits stopping position, as shown in the drawing, by a compression spring II. This spring surrounds the starting-and-stopping pin and exerts its force upwardly against a collar 12 aflixed thereto, the lower end of the spring being seated upon the lower bearing element It.

Although the drawing does not illustrate any treadle mechanism for depressing thepin 68 against the spring H, it is to be understood that in practice the lower end of this pin will be'connected by a rod or otherwise to a treadle for'that purpose mounted on the floor under the machine, and that this treadle mechanism may embody the construction of, and operate according to, corresponding treadle mechanism illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,012,299, granted August 2'7, 1935 on application of Malcolm G. Bliss. For present purposes it will suffice to state that when the toe-end of the treadle is depressed it will depressthe upper end of the pin 68 out of engagement with the head 66, whereupon the spring 65 (Fig. 4) will shift the bolt 64 into the path of the driving pins 63, and that the driving relation thus established will-continue until the wedge-face 61 again encounters the pin 68.

The described construction and operation of the starting-and-stopping mechanism does not differ in any particular from those heretofore employed in machines of this type, but the novel mechanism now about to be described is incorporated into the illustrated machine in such a way as to operate only when the pin 68 is moved up or down and to derive its operating motions from these motions of that pin Accordingly, the collar 12 affixed to the pin 68 is provided with a projecting portion in-which a hole is bored for the reception of one extremity the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

of a U-shapedlink orshackle 13' which maybe made of a short length of rod or stout wire. The lower extremity of this link is arranged in a corresponding bore formed in an arm 14 rigidly. related .to a rock-shaft '15. The ends of the link 13 are; bored crosswise to receive cotter pins or, if preferred,- a double keeper consisting of a Wire 86- in the form of'a broad-gage staple. The rock-shaft I5 extends through a bearingbored in the frame 12 and projects into a chamber in the frame. The inner end of the rock-shaft is provided with an arm 16 also rigidly related thereto. In effect the members 14, 15 and 16 constitute a bell-crank.

' Motion of the arm 16 is transmitted by a rod 11 to an arm 18-formed on a cam member 19 mounted outside the frame as shown in Fig. 1, the frame being provided with a hole (Fig. 2') through which this rod extends. The cammember 19 is located under and in register with the plunger I4 that carries the presser-foot and is movable to and from engagement with this plunger. Although the frame II was not initially designed with a view to providing a mounting for the cam member 19 it is nevertheless provided with means suitable for securing an adapter of This adapter comprises an arm 8| provided with a stem 82 rigidly relatedthereto, the stem being of a shape andsize to fit in a. socket already available in machines of this type.

Moreover, this socket is provided with .a set-screw 83 by which the stem 82 may be rigidly secured, and the frame is also provided with a ridge 84. on'which the lower .end of the arm 8| vmay be seated. This portion of the armis bored to receive a stud 85011 which the cam member 19 may be mounted to rock into and out of the range of travel of the lower end of the plunger, l4. H V The operation and effect of the cam member 19 are as follows. Assuming that the shaft 25 is not. in rotation and that the several mechanisms are in their initial positions as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and, 1, the following conditions are to be noted. The tool 28 and the presser-foot Iii are both retractedjfar enough above the worksupporting table II to provide a clear unobstructed space into which a work-piece, such as a shoe-upper, may be readily inserted; the elevated position of the presser-foot is maintained by the cam member l9; and although the poweroperated cam member 2l is in'a position to permit the presser-foot to clamp the work the cam roll 30 (Fig. 2) is'a considerable distance above the operating surface of this cam.

Assuming now that the operator has placed a work-piece on the work-supporting'table II and under the presser-foot Ill and that the workpiece has been located in the desired" position-for the first punching operation, the next act on the part of the operator would be to depress the starting-and-stopping treadle to set the machine in operation. For the sakeof a definite description of a typical procedure, it will be assumed that-the work-piece now about .to be operated upon is to receive a series of, six eyelets. ,The act of depressing .the pin 68 rocks the cam member 19, to the positionshown in Fig. 3, thereby perinitting the presser-foot It] to descend, and at the same time it releasesthe segmental wedge member 66 and thereby permits the spring 65 (Fig. 4) to project the bolt 64 into the path of the driving pins 63. Thus, the several power-operated mechanisms are set in operation, the operator meanwhile maintaining the pin 68 depressed through five complete cycles and a portion of the sixth cycle of the shaft 25. So long asthe pin 68 remains depressed the cam member 19 will remain in the position shown in Fig. 3 where it will not interfere with the normal operation of the presser-foot as produced by the poweroperated mechanism including the cam 2|. Therefore, the presser-foot will release and clamp the work automatically as heretofore under control of the cam 2| in every cycle except the last cycle before stoppage of the shaft 25, but even in the last cycle before such stoppa e the power-operated cam 2| will lift the presser-foot as in each of the other cycles. Nevertheless, in the last cycle which, obviously, is determined by stopping movement of the pin 68, this stopping movement will rock the cam 19 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and thus arrest the presser-foot in its retracted position where it must remain until the pin 68 is again depressed to set the machine in operation.

Preferably, the available power in the spring II that imparts stopping movement to the pin 68 is not sufficient to overcome the opposing force of the spring I! that depresses the presser-foot, because it is not necessary or desirable to require the operator to exert much effort in depressing the starting-and-stopping treadle. Under these circumstances, although the starting-and-stopping treadle may be released at a point in the last cycle earlier than the regular presscr-footlifting motion of the power-operated cam 2 I, the lifting of the presser-fcot will not be advanced in point of time by the cam 19. So, when the cam 19 encounters the plunger l4 before the latter has been raised by the cam 2 I. the rocking movement of the cam 19 will be interrupted or retarded by the plunger I4, but as the plunger rises in regular time in pursuance of the lifting effect of the cam 2| it will permit the cam 19 to follow, under the comparatively light force of the spring I I. Consequently, when, in the last cycle before stoppage of the machine, the presser-foot reaches the highest position to which the poweroperated cam 2| can raise it the cam 19 will invariably take a corresponding position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the result that the presserfoot will have no downward movement in that cycle.

The shape of the cam 19 is such that if the releasing of the starting-and-stopping treadle occurs after the presser-foot has been raised by the cam 2| and has started to descend, the cam 19 may nevertheless arrest the descent of the presser-foot at any intermediate point and thus prevent the presser-foot from actually clamping the work when the operation of the machine is arrested. Under these circumstances, the space between the presser-foot and the work-supporting table II may be less than that shown in Fig. 1 but still sufficient to facilitate the removal of one work-pieceand the insertion of another without requiring special retraction of the presser-foot. Even though the power of the spring 1| may not be sufficient to cause the cam 19 to raise the presser-foot, nevertheless the shape of this cam is such as to let the presser-foot down gently when the machine is started, and at such times it operates with a camming effect.

On the other hand, if it were desirable, as it might be in a machine of another type, to render the cam 19 effective for raising a presser-foot that eifect could readily be obtained by providing a spring ll of sufficient power to overcome the opposing force of the presser-foot spring I 1.

. In the foregoing description of the mode of operation of the cam 19 it was assumed that the operation of the machine was maintained without interruption through a series of cycles. Nevertheless, a machine of the type illustrated may be used, and often is used, to insert only one fastener as distinguished from a series of fasteners. To use the machine in this manner the operator has merely to depress the starting-and-stopping treadle and release it immediately. Under these circumstances, an individual cycle of operations will be not only the first but also the last cycle before stoppage of the machine, and the cam 19 will not only move first in one direction to let the presser-foot down but it will thereafter move in the opposite direction to arrest the presser-foot in the position of retraction established by the power-operated cam 2| when the arresting occurs.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:'

1. In a machine of the type in which startingand-stopping mechanism controls a power-operated mechanism for moving a member to and fro; means arranged to be operated by a controlling movement of said starting-and-stopping mechanism to modify one of the motions imparted to said member in a contemporaneous cycle by said power-operated mechanism. 2; In a machine of the type in which startingand-stopping mechanism controls a power-operated mechanism for moving a member to and fro; means arranged to be operated ,by stopping movement of said starting-and-stopping mechanism to interrupt the operation of said member by saidpower-operated mechanism before the latter is arrested.

3. In a machine of the type in which a starting-and-stopping mechanism controls a poweroperated mechanism for periodically retracting a presser-foot; means arranged to be operated by stopping movement of said starting-and-stopping mechanism to modify the final operation of the presser-foot by said power-operated mechanism.

4.- In a machine of the type in which a starting-and-stopping mechanism controls a poweroperated mechanism for periodically retracting a presser-foot; means arranged to be operated by stopping movement of said starting-andstopping mechanism to interrupt the final operation of the presser-foot by said power-operated mechanism and to maintain the presser-foot in a retracted position until the next subsequent starting movement of the starting-and-stopping mechanism.

5. In a machine of the type in which a poweroperated mechanism for retracting a presser-foot from the-work is arranged to be operated at a certain point in each cycle of the machine by driven means controlled by a starting-and-stopping mechanism designed to stop the machine only when said power-operated mechanism is in a, non-retracting position; supplemental means arranged to be operated by stopping movement of said starting-and-stopping mechanism to pre vent the 'presser-foot from clamping the work between the time of its final retraction by said power-operated mechanism and the next starting movement thereafter.

' 6. In a machine having a presser-foot arranged normally to exert pressure against a work-piece on a work-support, and power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine; a stop movably arranged toarrest the presser-foot while it is retracted by said mechanism, and starting-and-stopping mechanism by which said power-operated mechanism is controlled and by which said stop is operated.

7. In a machine having a presser-ioot arranged normally to exert pressure against a work-piece on a work-support, and power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine; a movable stop constructed and arranged to arrest the presser-foot in various positions of retraction and to release it, and starting-and-stopping mechanism by which said power-operated mechanism is controlled and by which said stop may be moved to an arresting position while the presser-foot is retracted by said power-operated mechanism.

8. In a machine having a presser-foot arranged normally to exert pressure against a workpiece on a work-support, and power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine; a movable stop by which the presser-foot may be arrested in a retracted position and released, a movable stop by which said power-operated mechanism may be arrested and released, and means arranged to communicate an effective motion from one of said stops to the other.

9. In a machine having a presser-foot arranged normally to exert pressure against a work-piece on a work-support, and power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine; a movable stop by which the presser-foot may be arrested in a retracted position and released, a movable stop by which said power-operated mechanism may be arrested and released, and means arranged to synchronize the respective arresting movements of said stops.

10. In a machine having a presser-foot arranged normally to exert pressure against a workpiece on a work-support, and power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine; a movable stop by which the presser-foot may be arrested in a retracted position and released, a movable stop by which said power-operated mechanism may be arrested and released, means by which the efiective motions of said stops are synchronized, and a spring by which said stops are normally moved to certain positions.

11. In a machine having a presser-foot arranged normally to exert pressure against a work-piece on a work-support, and power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine; manually operable stopping mechanism arranged to arrest operation of the machine, and means arranged to partake of stopping movement of said stopping mechanism to prevent the presser-foot from clamping the work after it has been retracted by said power-operated mechanism in the last cycle of the machine before stoppage thereof.

12. In a machine having a presser-foot arranged normally to exert pressure against a work-piece on a work-support, power-operated mechanism arranged to retract the presser-foot in each cycle of the machine, and starting-andstopping mechanism by which said power-operated mechanism is controlled; a cam arranged to modify the operation of said presser-foot, and means by which starting-and-stopping motions of said starting-and-stopping mechanism are communicated to said cam to operate the-latter.

SYLVESTER L. GooKm. 

